I purposed, before the birth of my daughter, to be the kind of mom I'd long wanted to be. At all costs. Unbeknownst to her, my daughter had thrown me a challenge. I needed to use my God-given talents and life's passions to be productive while still working around her needs and her schedule. Here are some daily adventures and small successes.

10/13/2016

In 2013, when a typhoon devastated the Philippines, my heart broke. But knowing individuals on the ground, already mobilized to make things happen, I was propelled to do something concrete. I collaborated with my friends over at LostBumblebeeGraphics and JustMEprints to launch what would be a successful fundraising campaign. Now here we are again. Haiti needs our help.

Haiti needs immediate assistance. And we know people on the ground ready to make real things happen now. A team has already been mobilized and is waiting on resources to rebuild homes, remedy pending starvation, and consequently respond to the cholera epidemic. 15,000 people are without shelter, and even more face a lack of food. We need to act today.

We've all been frustrated with reports of funds mismanaged after Haiti's last natural disaster. But this frustration is not a reason to throw our hands up and do nothing. It is a reason to become wiser with our generosity. I've long believed that the most effective way to help in times of crisis is to empower legitimate indigenous labourers, both using resources on hand as well as stimulating the local economy.

Because the first convoy leaves this weekend, for every dollar donated by tomorrow, Friday, October 14th, at 2 p.m., your donation will be matched by an anonymous donor, up to $200. Not only will each dollar go further in the hands of workers on the ground, already invested in Haiti even before this devastating event, but your dollar is doubled. You will receive a tax deductible receipt for any donation over $20.

As a special THANK YOU, Lost Bumblebee, JustMe, and I would like to thank you by offering a free 12 month printable calendar of your choosing for a donation of any amount.*

I have compiled 12 fine art images of newborns, and coupled those to some of the most endearing children's book quotes...

Elena over at JustME gathered 12 of her best paper-crafting creations from the last year for you to enjoy...

Melissa from Lost Bumblebee applied her talents in graphic artistry to bring you 12 months of gratitude...

Please don't delay in donating, and please share this effort, and these calendar images!

*Printable calendars: Printers such as VistaPrint will print, bind and ship you the completed images. Keep your eyes peeled, as I've seen those full size calendars go down to as little as $5 each! Amazing for Christmas gifts!

8/22/2016

One of the most intense glimpses into a wedding day are those moments right before it all actually starts. Behind the scenes, the culmination of months of planning is about to erupt, and the bride is playing the day out in her mind. She is at once calm and anxious; giddy and serene. She is ravishingly beautiful, and yet she cannot stop adjusting each and every finishing touch.

8/19/2016

It's sometimes just about impossible to believe I helped make something so completely beautiful. If I hadn't been there myself to watch it all happen, nothing could convince me of it. She's beautiful. And She's growing even more lovely every day.